Steak in mushroom sauce & gnocchi

Did it ever happen to you that after staying somewhere, like a vacation destination for too long, you start calling it your home?.. Not specifically, it just pops up when you’re at the store talking to a friend on your phone and you say ~ ‘I’ll call you when I get home’ thinking of the apartment where you’re staying. It happens to me quite often, and when it does I know I grew fond of the destination where I am, I know that the trip was worth it because I’m relaxed and enjoying myself enough to call it a home. It’s like that for me here, on the island of Vir, home away from home, at least for the next week or so.

I’ve travelled a lot, and visited many places, there have been those I would gladly call my home, and those I wouldn’t visit ever again even if I had to. Zagreb is my real home, and I love it, from the busy many square to more quiet neighbourhoods with hidden picturesque parks, all of its history and the modern hints of architecture trying to impress. When thinking of Zagreb there are certainly dishes and food that make me think of it, and mostly it’s my mother’s or grandmother’s cooking.

Since I’m writing about home, being away from home, there’s nothing more suitable than a homey recipe that will take you in, make you feel comfortable and happy. This is one of my first recipes, first recipes I’ve tried and since then I’ve perfected it bit by bit. It’s a delicious steak, covered in mushroom sauce perfected with white wine and herbs, on top of homemade gnocchi that will make you feel hungry just by reading the recipe. Try it out tomorrow and you won’t regret it!

Enjoy & happy cooking!

Preparation: 20 min

Cook time: 35 min

Servings: 4

Ingredients

4 sirloin steaks

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tbsp butter

1/2 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

300 g mushrooms, sliced

150 ml vegetable broth

80 ml white wine

1 tsp parsley

1 tsp basil

100 ml cooking cream

2 potatoes, peeled and sliced in cubes

250 g all – purpose flour

1 egg

1 tsp salt

oil

Salt & pepper to taste

How to

Season the sirloin steaks with salt, pepper and garlic powder, sprinkle some oil over them and set them aside.

Bring slightly salted water to a boil in a large cooking pot. Place sliced potatoes in the boiling water and cook until soft. Drain the water and mash potatoes. Combine mashed potatoes, flour and an egg and form a firm dough. Using your hands form “snakes” from the dough and cut 3 – 4 cm slices.

Cook the gnocchi in boiling water until they float on water, that means they’re done.

Meanwhile while the gnocchi are cooking in the boiling water, heat some oil in a large pan and grill steaks on each side until well done.

Heat butter in a medium sauce pan. Stir in chopped garlic and onion. Let it simmer for a few minutes. Add sliced mushrooms and let them also simmer until pouring in vegetable broth and white wine. Season with parsley, basil salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for next 10 to 15 minutes stirring occasionally. Add cooking cream to the sauce and let it cook until you get a thick cream. Stir in the cooked gnocchi and serve with grilled pork chops.